


Let me come back

by marvelous_space_nerd



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drowning, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Temporary Character Death, Why can't tags just be automatic this is so hard, bandits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24552622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelous_space_nerd/pseuds/marvelous_space_nerd
Summary: They were just having a peacefull day when bandits attacked the witcher and the bard, and the river Jaskier was washing himself in did not help giving the advantage to them.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 6
Kudos: 125





	Let me come back

Today wasn’t supposed to go this way, he was going to wash himself in the stream, and Geralt was going to sharpen his swords even though Jaskier yelled at him for not wanting to clean up a little bit. And for once he was thankful he didn’t, he had his sword close now, and he needed it. Because despite the fact that they were in the middle of absolutely nowhere, they were under attack, by bandits.

Jaskier was floating on his back when they came, he was telling Geralt, or rather himself while Geralt pretended to listen, about how his new ballad was going to be his next hit and how rich they’ll get off it. He got pulled under the water mid-sentence, he yelped Geralt’s name before his head was submerged too. He could feel the current dragging him and his attacker away, and he struggled to get up again for way longer than he would’ve wanted. The bandit was submerged too so he was definitely able to fight. Only he needed air  _ now. _ One powerful kick was enough to push him away, just far enough for Jaskier to catch his breath again before he got closer. He screamed as loud as he could while his head was still above the surface:

‘Help me!’

‘Geralt!’

He really hoped they didn’t attack Geralt too bad, he tried to listen and listen but there was nothing. The attacker was coming closer now and there was still nothing. He started trying to push him under again when he heard a far away scream:

‘Jaskier!’

At least Geralt seemed to be doing okay were his thoughts when he was pulled under again, longer this time, the current still dragging them further and further from their camp. Only his attacker needed air too, so when he caught his breath Jaskier did too. The bandit was still trying to hold onto him but he didn’t pay attention for a split second and Jaskier was able to escape his grasp. He tried to get to the riverbank when the bandit let go, to  _ get out of here.  _ He tried to call for Geralt, but this time he didn’t get a response. His attacker followed him and he was almost out of the water when he was grabbed by his hips and-

‘Wrong choice bard.’ The voice was low and rough, and it almost sounded like he was  _ smirking.  _ He was going to kill this man when he got out of here-

_ if  _ he got out of here.

Before he knew it he was underwater again, only this time he was pressed against the riverbank, with his attacker above the water level, completely being able to breath.  _ Fuck. He doesn’t need to catch his breath anymore. _

The bandit’s bigger hands moved to his throat and turned him around while Jaskier kicked and fought, but it was in the vain. He was completely overwhelmed, and the other man was so much stronger than him. His knees pressed into his lower stomach. He tried to fight but with every move his back got pressed further into the ground while he felt his kicks becoming weaker and weaker. Every new move started to hurt more than the last until he was only able to keep his hands on the attachers arm. It was an effort in the vain, the bandit didn’t move and only pressed on his troath harder. He couldn’t keep this up any longer, he tried to fight it but he breathed, underwater. After he did that everything started becoming brighter, like a flash of light. How bad could this be? It’s just a light, like any other light and-

_ oh _

nothing

absolutely nothing

It was like floating in the dead version of space, in the vast emptiness. There was nothing to look at, nothing to see, no stars to light his way, no planets to inhabit, no galaxies to marvel at, no black holes to disturb everything and no thoughts to be heard. They were gone, just like everything else, from now on there’s only floating in the dark nothingness. 

In the absolute nothingness.

Just emptiness and darkness,

no thoughts

no nothing.

  
  
  
  
  
  


‘..skier!’

_ Or is there? _

_ ‘Jaskier.’ _

_ Let me come back _

‘Don’t give up’

_ Please _

‘Don’t do this.’

_ I don’t want to stay here _

_ ‘ _ You still have a ballad to show me.’

_ It was all coming back slowly _

‘Come on’

_ He felt a great force on his chest _

‘Wake up’

_ Air fill his lungs _

‘Please’

_ The chest again _

‘Jaskier.’

_ More air in his lungs and- _

A lot of fucking pain

He tried to breathe on his own again, but it hurt so much. He coughed right after, and a lot of water came out of his throat, he must have swallowed the entire river he thought. His head hurt so much and every muscle he possessed was aching, but he seemed to be back. He was still barely hanging on to his consciousness, but he was back.

He got out of that darkness.

Everything slowly started to come back, he hand on his back, the grass under him, the fact that he still was covered in water and a man talking to him.

‘Hey, Jaskier, talk to me.’

Sword on the ground next to him, black armour, white hair-

‘Geralt?’

‘I’m here.’ 

‘What happened?’

‘You died.’

‘ _ Oh’ That makes sense _

‘I brought you back.’ Everything still hurt and he couldn’t find the words to respond, he was so tired. He felt his eyelids become heavier than they’ve ever been, but he didn’t want to go to sleep. He just got back and Geralt was still with him. That should be enough reason to stay awake right?

‘Sleep, I’ll take care of you.’ He didn’t want to, but he probably didn’t have many choices. His body was tired and he was fighting way to hard to stay awake. He just didn’t want to be alone again, Geralt  _ has  _ to stay. He doesn’t want to wake up alone. He needed to know he wouldn’t be alone again.

‘You’ll be there when I wake up?’ It was the hardest sentence he ever had to say, physically speaking than. It took way to much effort for a man who normally talked  _ all day. _

‘Of course. Now sleep, you need it.’ He put his hand on his face and held him close afterwards, and Jaskier just felt everything become heavier and heavier before he doze off. It was nice knowing that Geralt was with him, and it was nice to know he wouldn’t be alone when he woke up. Geralt rarely lied to him and if he started now,

well he would be pretty much done for.

Luckily for him he slept pleasantly, and he actually was there when he woke up.

He woke up in a bed and wearing clean clothes. The fire crackling in the fireplace and the blankets put around him made sure it was nicely warm in the room. Before the fireplace sat a big figure.

‘Geralt?’

‘Yes.’ He got up and started making his way over, and he still didn’t have the energy to sit up straight, so he kept on lying in the bed. Geralt crouched down in front on him and stroked his hair once. After that he put his hand on his head so that his thumb could stroke his hairline.

‘What do you remember?’ He asked, softer than his usual tone. He didn’t remember everything if he was honest, but he was sure Geralt was going to clarify those bits.

‘I remember that I was lying in the water when I got pulled under, the current dragged us away and after a while I tried to get out, but it backfired pretty hard. I got grabbed by my throat and I tired to fight him of, and I’m pretty sure I failed. After that I just remember darkness, and I think I saw you after that but that’s all pretty vague.’

‘That’s a surprising memory for someone who died.’

‘Yes, now what did I miss?’

He let out a sigh. ‘I saw you get pulled under before five other people attacked me, I tried to fight them off quickly and find you. I heard you scream a few times so when I took care of the bandits I ran to you. I found you under water with another bandit over you. I took care of him but you weren’t moving. I got you out and used a tactic Vesemir taught me to bring you back. Luckily you responded.’

‘What was this tactic of yours Geralt? I’m very intrigued.’

‘Three chest compressions to help the heart beat, tilt their head back and breathe for them, also three times. Repeat it until they wake up, or if they won’t.. you need to let them go.’

“Let them go”

Let them die, this was your last resort.

And it saved  _ him _

He  _ died,  _ he was pretty sure Geralt told him before but it only hit him now. He drowned by the hands of a bandit and if it wasn’t for Geralt he’d still be in the nothingness. Luckily for him that memory was faded and disoriented, it would be absolutely traumatising if it were clear, but it was still there. 

He was dead.

For a short while he was nothing but a limp body.

And it made him cry.

It took long to process what happened, but now that he did, he realized what it meant. That he was  _ still  _ alive because Geralt knew what to do. And he’s never been as thankful for being able to breathe as he was now. With Geralt holding him while he cried away the shock of what happened. 

‘This is why I didn’t want to clean up.’

‘Shut up you big oaf.’

He was pretty sure he heard a small chuckle, and he just kept on making the worst jokes imaginable.

‘At least you have more material for your next ballad.’

‘Since when did the grumpy witcher become a comedian?’

‘You like my jokes.’

‘I do, but that still doesn’t change anything.’

‘Hm.’

**Author's Note:**

> No I don't know why I wanted to write a character dying from their perspective, but I had fun so it's all good.  
> Leave a comment! They always make my day!  
> [My tumblr](https://marvelous-space-nerd.tumblr.com/)


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